Not-So-Normal Mom

I'm leaving tonight for New Jersey! I'm a little nervous, but I think I'm prepared. I hope the kids behave themselves. I hope I get some sleep on the plane, and most important, I hope I don't say anything stupid to my in-laws. That's so hard for me! I have a problem with speaking before I think. I have a tendency to speak with my emotions rather than my brain. Oh well, I'll be sure to post about my trip. Oh, and I can't wait to see the Liberty Bell! I'm so excited about all the American history that you can take in on the East coast. Maybe next year, we can go to New York. Maybe I'll get a chance to bond with my in-laws and this will be a life-changing experience for me. Yeah right, I'm just hoping I make it out alive.

I know my day is not starting off well when I hear these two phrases before eight am:

"Mom!!!! He keeps sneezing on me!!!!!"

and

"EEEWWWWW, gross!!!! Mom!!!!! He licked the Q-tip with earwax on it!!!!"

I really did want girls.

Something is bothering me. I was driving behind a huge construction truck today, and there was a small sign on the back that said "Not responsible for windshield damage. Stay back 200 feet" This sign was maybe one foot by one foot big. There is no way you could even see that sign from 200 feet away. Are you kidding me? I promise you, if something flew out of that truck and hit my windshield and caused a crack, you would be so responsible!!!!!

It's nice. Even though I feel a heavy head cold coming on, life is alright. The boys make me a little crazy sometimes. So much so that I sent them to bed at 8 last night, but life is mostly good. I am smiling. My mom went to the doctor yesterday and is a little worried about her tests, but I am sure (I can feel it in my heart) that it's nothing. I am confident. I am relaxing a bit. I am not too stressed out, I haven't had a homicidal thought in a couple of days, so life is good. I hope this lasts.

My oh my, yesterday was a challenge for me!!!!!
First, I took my big boys to school, and then I went home to shower and give the little man a bath.  I told my mom that I would pick her up at work at 1, and I was going to get there a little early so that I could shop for a coat for my NJ trip(I’m sure it will be quite cold while we are there).  So, I hurried out the door…I grabbed my purse, the diaper bag, a cup of juice for little man, a toy car, Bubba’s hand, and I turned the lock on the door.  I walked out, and shut the door behind me…Thereby locking my keys in my apartment.  CRAP!  Okay, the maintenance man is at lunch, the (new) manager’s office is closed.  Oh Crap!  I have to go to her house.  We just got a new manager two weeks ago, and I am not keen on introducing myself by asking for the key to my apartment.  Oh well, you do what you have to do, right?  I went over and knocked on her apartment door, and it went something like this:
*door opens* hi, I’m NSNM, I live over there, and I totally locked my keys in my apartment.  Do you think you could let me in?
Her:  Well, it’s my lunch break.
Me:  *pausing, dumbfounded*  Okaaaay, but could you please just let me in, I’d really appreciate it.  I’m sorry to bother you at home.
Her:  Yeah okay, give me a few minutes.
Me:  Okay, thanks.  
I then take little man and sit on the steps for TEN MINUTES!!!!  Then, she comes out and walks to the office.  She sticks her head out and says:
Her:  I don’t have the key to your apartment.  You must have changed the locks.
Me:  No, We’ve never changed the locks.  I know there is a key in there, you guys have gotten in before with no problem.
Her:  I’ll look in one more place.
*Goes in the office again*
Her:  Nope, I don’t have it, when you get a copy made, you should bring it to the office so that I have a copy.
She then WALKED.INTO.HER.HOUSE.  And yes, I was standing outside dumbfounded!  Thanks for all your help BIZNITCH!  I had to pry open my window and shimmy in and over a bookshelf, and onto my dining room table.  I got my keys and left.  Oh, I am so writing a letter to property management!
Then, later on, I got my big boys from school, and we went home.  My middle son had a lot of homework, so I decided to bring him to work with me.  (I am tutoring at the College, he can sit and do his work and I can help him if I am not with a student.)  To make a long story short, he ended up spilling an entire 16 ounces of hot chocolate all over my coworkers SDSU homework.  I had to Xerox all of his work so that it was fresh and new, and not covered with sticky hot chocolate gooiness.  You have no idea how many times I apologized to my coworker!  (I must say that he was totally cool about it, even if he was steaming on the inside)
Then, at about 8pm, the boys are all rough housing.  I kept saying things like, “cut it out”, “someone’s going to get hurt!”, and “quiet!”.  Then, I heard screaming.  My oldest and my Bubba cracked heads!  It was the back of MO head vs. the front of Bubba’s head.  I totally freaked out!  It was a giant egg!!!!  I had to pin him down to apply ice, and then I was really starting to worry when Bubba was looking drowsy.  MO was totally fine, a little weepy, but fine.  The two oldest went to bed, mostly because I was freaked out and they were a little scared.  Needless to say, the baby is fine and I went to bed and ended “THE DAY FROM HELL!”

Oh, I am sooo tired! I am typing an essay that has turned out to be like seven pages long, and I am sooooo sick of it. I only have one more long paragraph to write, but I am now at the point in writing it where I don't care.
I just found out that Harry Potter comes out the week before we're in Jersey, so I'm happy about that. And, I was concerned that our trip would have no educational component, and I would be taking the kids out of school for pure frivolity, but now, I am hoping that we can at least go see the Liberty Bell. Then, my kids can take a picture in front of it to show their teachers. I think I'll be off the hook then. What do you think? (Click on the title to learn about the Liberty Bell)

I can't wait for the new Harry Potter movie to come out! It is a substitute to that hollow feeling I have, waiting on a new book. I visit the website every once in a while, and I'm getting very excited!!!! Click on the title to take you to the website!!! All of you can come with me! We can dress up! We can all go at midnight with the rest of the geeks. Oh God, what if I'm in New Jersey when it comes out?*GASP*

  
So, we’re going to New Jersey next month.  I am pretty excited about going because I have never been there before, and my NH’s family is there.  There are a few of them who couldn’t make it out for the wedding, and I would really like to get to know them.  I would also like for them to meet the boys and me, and for us all to get to know each other.  I’m pretty nervous, though.  I get this nervous chatter thing when I’m around them.  I am not normally the kind of person who tries to impress people, but on some level, I know that’s what I’m trying to do when I’m around them.  His parents took so long to warm up to me!  They had that whole religious block thing going on.  You know…we weren’t married, we had a baby, we were living together…  That’s why we waited until after the wedding to go out there.  If we had gone before we were married (even though Bubba was already born), they were going to make us sleep in separate rooms.  Although I appreciate the fact that it is their house, and their beliefs, we chose to wait until after we were married to visit them.  So, now is the time.  His sister wanted us to go out there for Christmas, but I just couldn’t do it.  I am afraid that they don’t really accept my older two boys completely.  I don’t want them to feel left out or shunned when our little guy gets all the attention and gifts.  So, I’m looking into the weather out there, and making sure we all have appropriate clothing to wear.  I can guarantee that we are going to have to get some warmer clothes.  It just doesn’t get that cold here in beautiful San Diego!!!!!  That’s all for now…time to get off my ass and clean something!!!
Peace Out,
Mom

I am enjoying my life, really.  I think I have a relatively fun time.  I wish I had more time and more money for travel.  That would make a difference, I’m sure.  I also wish I had a cleaning service to clean my house.  Just to free me up to do other things.  Like homework.  I’m really slacking with that stuff.  I also need to cook better meals for the kids.  I need to spend more time with my husband.  Maybe I should do some mid-year resolutions.  OOOh, maybe I should have a to-do list.  I think I’ll do that.  That way, I can check things off and feel productive.  I wish money would fall out of the sky and land in my lap.  Do you think that ever happens?  And if it did, would “they” let me keep it?  You know who they are, right?  I wish I had time to join a club.  Or start a club.  Maybe even hang out with my friends.  I wish all my friends and family lived in a little commune together.  We could have so much fun!  We would have great coffee, too.  I wish I had time to garden.  I wish I had some land to grow things.  I also want a house and a dog.  I also would like to be in a play one day.  I bet I could be a great actor.  I also want to write a book one day, and I want people to read it.  And I want it to change their lives.  That’s all for now.
Peace Out,
Mom

Too harsh? Whatever. The rotten governor vetoed the bill that would make gay marriage legal. In the state that houses San Francisco, for God's sake! He then went on to hide behind political rhetoric and double talk. Whatever. He says it will go to the people next year. I hope so. I hope that when it does, more young, open minded people than ever before get off their asses and vote. Click the title above, and it will link you to the full story. I'm just so sad that we live in a country where it isn't okay to spend forever with the person you love, and have that person get all the benefits a straight marriage affords. It's time the institution of marriage was updated. It just makes me sad. I think of my friend, T and his boyfriend M, that should be able to get married and live happily ever after. Society tells you from the time you are very small, that you must grow up, get married, and have a family. So, let them!!!!!
Peace Out,
Mom

This is me and NH just after we got married. Aren't we the cutest? I think we look giddy with happiness! That was such a beautiful day. I wish you could have a new wedding every couple of years. It was so fun to plan, and it was such a fun time for us! Thanks to everyone that came out and celebrated with us!

My, oh my, am I tired! I am now working two jobs...One, tutoring writing at the college and the other at the Tuxedo shop. I enjoy working, and it's not the working that's making me tired. It is the fact that, because I'm working, my house is falling apart. We are not communicating. The ball has been dropped on more than one occassion. I don't like to point fingers, but I am about to kick NH's ass. Stuff is lying all around the house, there is no gas in HIS car when it's my turn to use it, and he left the dinner I prepared before work on the counter for THREE HOURS!! Then yesterday, I had meetings at the boys school all afternoon/evening, and I forgot my cell phone. I told him I would be home in time to get the boys and take them to my parents' house before my last meeting, and when I got home, noone was there!!! They had already left and were at my parents' house! Which is right by the boys' school!!! I wasted 45 minutes driving, and I had to stop to put gas in his car!!!! ARGH!!!! And he is going fishing this afternoon!!! I know he works hard, but I am a communicator....He needs to work with me. I obviously need to start drinking in the afternoons.
On a side note, I had my oldest in the car with me last week and I was driving him and his friend to our house for a sleepover. I had just gotten off work, and I was listening to them talk in the back seat. MO(my oldest) was telling his friend about my two jobs and he was very proud. He was telling his friend, "and she tutors people in college. She is REALLY smart!" Oh, how happy I was! I try to drill into my kids how important education is, and it just made me feel all teary-eyed and proud that he thinks highly of me...
Peace Out,
Mom

I have/had an old friend from the days when I was married to "the loser". We lived in El Paso(The armpit af America) and he was in the Army. I met a lot of Army wives, and you make friends quick when you have to (you never know when you will be transferred somewhere else). So, I was friends with a girl from West Virginia with two little boys, like me. She was pregnant with her third (a little girl) and we became very close. Half way through her pregnancy, her husband was shipped off to Iraq, and my ex and I were having a lot of problems(thus, the divorce). So, we spent a lot of time together. I was supposed to be in the delivery room when she had her baby, but ex and I split up, and I was leaving, and taking the boys to SD to live with my parents. Well, the day we were packing up my stuff, she called to say she was in labor. My parents and all my neighbors pitched in to pack up my house while I spent the day in the hosbital with her, while she delivered her daughter. I was with her through everything...the epidural, the crying, the pushing, I saw her little baby come into the world, and cried with her. I left the hospital, went home, and finished packing. The next morning, we left, and I never saw them again. We kept in touch through email, and exchanged pictures. Well, she has become a born again Christian and is a devout Republican. I have a lot of Republican friends! I respect everyone's right to their beliefs! Her husband is still in the Army, and he has been to Iraq, and thank God, has made it home safely. She OFTEN emails me emails promoting Bush and his views on the war. She also sends emails bashing the Iraqi people. It bothered me, so much so that I was erasing emails from her without reading them. So, I sent her an email...Here are the three emails sent back and forth....

My email to her:
(name), While I respect your right to your opinion, it is not mine. I love to get emails from you, and I would like to stay in touch. I also support our military 100%! I am a Navy brat, I live in a VERY big military city, and I cry for our soldiers that are fighting in Iraq. I pray for your husband when he goes over to fight. But I am a devout democrat that believes we are fighting a losing battle in Iraq. My husband's family is from New Jersey/New York/Penn, and we were worried about our loved ones during 9-11, but we do not believe that a tragedy should bring about even more tragedy. Terrorism is a horrible thing, and we should do our best to protect ourselves, but going around the world to fight someone we can't find and people we can't identify is a fruitless fight that only brings about sorrow and division in our own country.
I respect your opinions and beliefs, please respect mine. I'm not really interested in getting any more "I love Bush" emails from you. Thanks!
Oh, and since I've gotten so many from you, I thought I would include some of the comics I like...
http://evilorstupid.blogspot.com/
These are the political cartoons I like! I wish your family the best and I hope everything is going great for you up in Alaska! Send pictures, I've heard it’s beautiful. Make sure you take advantage of your time up there and get some traveling and sight-seeing in!
Take care, (my name)

(Her Response):
Wow, I don't hear from you in years and when I do this is what I get. I just forward what I get sent sorry you are so offended. I believe in what my husband does and I believe that if I or anyone else knew what the President knew and could do what the President does then I'd be President. I'm also not ignorant enough to think that all bad things that happen abroad are Bush's fault. He has a whole panel of adviser's that go in and do research so they can make the best decisions for our country. I honestly have no clue what your little nasty email was in regards to but I promise you can guarantee you won't get anything else from me. I respect your right to have your opinion as ignorant as I feel it may be. But as my friend you are out of line emailing me something out of the blue that is ugly. Again, I forward things that have been sent to me. I'm proud of my husband and what he does and if I get sent emails pro military I pass them on. Remember my husband and my family living with out when you and your new little family are bashing Bush and the military. He fights so people like you can have the right to shit talk. Lose my email! My husband and I have no desire to continue communication with you. I'm sorry you feel the need to get so upset over email forwards. Maybe if you said hey (name) I'm a democrat, I'd have known. Friends don't email friends out of the blew and verbally assault them. I really don't even know what email you are talking about. As for dividing the country, people like you are the culprit. Like it or not he is the ELECTED PRESIDENT for the next few years. The worst thing you can do is be against the government who is trying to keep you safe. People like you are the reason there is division. I never thought of you as such a rude person. Maybe you should take into consideration that not everyone is out to offend you! I wish you and your family the best. I'll add you all to my pray list. I'll pray that because of people like you encouraging terrorists with your anti-gov. crap, we won't be struck again. I'll also thank my husband every night for you that you have the right and ability to tuck you kids in safely every night!

(My final email):
After re-reading my email, and the one that you sent, I don't think that I said anything "ugly" that should have hurt you so much. As I said, I support your husband, and the military. I just don't think we should be fighting this war. I am sorry that you were offended, and felt the need to "erase" me. I have always thought very highly of your family. I was there when your daughter was born! I was not trying to be rude, it seems to me that you guys may be going through some things and your feelings are sitting on the surface of your skin. As far as my family sitting here while your family "goes without", you'll remember that I said my dad proudly served his country in the Navy for twenty years, there were plenty of times we went without. My husband and children don't go without now because we bust our asses. We run a small business, I go to college and work a part time job, all without daycare because our children come first. So don't try and make me feel sorry for you because we are doing well. It is a decision we made to put our family first and strive for a better life for them than we had. Like I said, I support our military, I DO NOT support our president. As far as our presidents advisers, he selected them, of course they are going to say he is right. We have two different viewpoints, (name), I am not a terrorist supporter as you so eloquently stated in your reply. There are democrats living all around you that do not support Bush, that doesn't mean we are opening the doors to terrorists. There are civilians, women and children living in Iraq, too. They are not all terrorists. I just refuse to turn on my back on people. I have my own opinion. If that infuriates you, I'm sorry. I don't think I deserved such an angry response from you. But if you feel the need to "erase" me and pray for me, feel free. We are living a good life, with freedoms that are awarded to us by men like your husband, and others who gave their lives for us. I pray that the rest of those men and women make it home safely. Honestly, take care. I think about you all often with nothing but happy memories. (my name)

Comments?

My younger sister is living in a rehab facility. I guess I never went into it before because, well I just didn't. About two years ago, after years of being an addict and getting into varying degrees of trouble, she was arrested and sentenced to a little over a year in jail. She only served 9 months, which was enough. She came out of jail sober. It was the first time I saw my "real" sister in years. She was caring, loving, supportive, and a great aunt and sister. I spent a lot of time with her, and we graduated from college together this last May. She was also a bridesmaid at my wedding in June. If you would have told me two years ago that these things would happen, I would have called you a liar. We used to drive over to my parents' house, and if her car was there, we would leave. I didn't want her around my kids. Now, she babysits, we go to the zoo together, she buys the boys gifts, we take her with us to the movies, and she went with us to Las Vegas! Well, just before Graduation, her probation officer called and said that it was a condition of her sentence that she go into a rehab facility. I cried with her! What if she started using again, being around all those losers? Why were they making her go? Didn't they know that she was doing fine? We all wrote letters, but it didn't matter, they said she had to go. So, a bed opened up in a short term facility two weeks ago, and she's been there ever since. When she went in, she was resolute that she wasn't going to befriend any of those losers, and that she knew she was better than them. She called me every day. A lot. Then, last week, she made a friend. "Oh my God, *****, what are you doing?" Just do what you have to do, don't make friends there! Then a couple of days ago, she tells me she's going out with a new "friend". She stops calling. OMG, she's DATING a guy in there? She can get kicked out and sent back to jail!!!!! WTF???? And this morning, she brings him to NHs business. I guess he is pretty old and has "I've been doing drugs for ages and I've been out in the sun and burned many times" skin. After he left, our co-worker commented that he seemed like an ass hole. AHHHHHH! How embarassing! I called her, and she was on her way to my parents' house with this guy!!!! OMG! For one thing, my mom worked overnight and she's sleeping. For another thing, don't bring him to our parents' home!!!! There have been past boyfriends that have stalked the house after the inevitable break-up! So, I told her that I can't believe she took him to the business, and I can't believe she's taking him to our parents' house and she said....get ready for it...."I'm using good judgement, don't worry." Are you kidding me??? Good judgement???? Where, When???? So, I don't know what to do. Write her off again? I don't want to, I love her. I love having my sister back. I am so upset. And no, I am not going to support her decision to date this guy. When people you love do stupid things, you don't pretend that its okay so as not to rock the boat. ARGH!!! WTF?????

I was getting revved up to run my errands and be available to my NHs business when his cousin called and wanted me to watch his youngest daughter, who is 3. I said yes, but I was really nervous because she is a little spoiled and has serious separation issues. He dropped her off, and she was so much fun! We walked around the campus and she was so entertaining! My little guy and CD(cousin's daughter) were running around together and when they thought something was funny, they would look at each other and laugh while covering their mouths. OMG, they were so cute! It was such a different experience to be around a little girl, she was so cute and dainty! I want one!!!!! Maybe I can just borrow her from time to time....
Peace Out,
Mom

Yeah! We went out! We went to dinner, and out for a car ride and coffee. Its nice to just be alone. We didn't talk about the kids much, we mostly talked about what we want to do with our life together and what business opportunities are open to us. We both want to get away and be on our own. (Not away from each other, away from business partners, managers, etc...) My NH is so talented and I can't wait until his business takes off. I can't wait until we get away from his loser business partner! Anyway, life is good. The boys are playing outside, the house is quiet, and I slept in today. YEAH! College starts again tomorrow, I am taking a couple online classes so I can keep trucking along! One day, I will finish all of it!
Peace Out,
Mom

I asked my mom to babysit. She said she would if I would pick her up at work yesterday. So, I did. It turned into a huge ordeal, there was traffic, I had all three kids with me, she wanted to buy them milkshakes, I had to go to the coffee company to get smoothie mixes for NH's business, etc... So it ended up taking three hours! So she calls me today and says that she forgot that she promised her friend that she and my dad would go over for dinner. She says she won't be home until 7, which really means 8. Okay, fine, we'll just have a late night out. Well, NH says he has to work tomorrow and its too late to go out. Are we really that old? Is HE really that old? I want time alone with my husband, outside of this house!!!!! Dammit!
Peace Out,
Mom

My little guy is busy. He is really starting to talk and I love it! He is so damn cute. We also got him his first big boy bed, which is just a little toddler bed, but he moves around a lot while he sleeps. Before, in the crib, he couldn't roll out because he was encased in a cage, but now, he rolls right out. We woke up this morning with him lying between us in our bed. No idea how he got there! I just spent months getting him out of our bed! There is no way I want this to continue. Would locking him in his room be heartless and cruel?;) Anyhoo, life seems to not be slowing down. It seems like I always have something to do, and when I don't, I am exhausted and I just want to sit down. My big boys are making me crazy. The oldest has a sharp wit and a sarcastic attitude that makes me want to choke him. I don't, of course, but the urge is there. I swear, I want to apoligize to my mom for all the times I yelled, "All right, GEEZ!!!" at her. Of course, it is accompanied by an eye roll. My middle son moves as slow as molasses. Really. He is so smart, but he is a little space cadet! I love his imagination, but it really shouldn't take three hours to do homework. Thank God my mom is taking the kiddos tomorrow night so that NH and I can go somewhere and look at each other for a while. I hope we don't spend the whole time talking about kids and work.
Peace Out,
Mom

Okay, I have decided that I am going to start a wedding planning business. I loved planning my wedding, and I think I did a damn fine job! So, because of my anal, attention to detail organizational skills, I think this is a perfect job for me. AND, while working at the sweat shop, I am secretely going to solicit business. You know, cuz all those brides coming in need HELP! So, here I am! I'm going to start out not charging much, until I get a good portfolio going, and then just keep going from there! Right now, I'm working on a business name, and then I'm going to try and register the business name this week. And then business cards and a webpage. OOOH, I need to find someone to do the webpage!!!! Okay, I'm getting even more excited!
Peace Out,
Mom

Okay, after reading one of my favorite blogs(Click on the link to take you there), I have decided to create my own list of "Guess the lie" So, I will list five facts about myself, and one will be a total lie...guess which one!
1. I have seen Wizard of Oz over 150 times. I can sing every song and talk along with the characters the entire length of the movie. I'm great fun when it comes on TV and there is a room full of people.
2. I met George Lucas, Whoopie Goldberg, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, John Ritter, Sally Field, and many more. I also hyperventelated because I am very easily star-struck.
3. For a week when I was lashing out at my parents and hanging out with the "wrong crowd", I slept in vacant houses on the floor.
4. I have a "secret stash" of money hidden away just in case things don't go well with NH.
5. While we were in high school, my best friend and I ran into Mario Lopez in Tijuana, Mexico in a club. He was wearing full make-up, and it was obvious!

Okay friends, lets see if you can guess the lie! I'm really curious to find out what ya'll think!!!!
Peace Out,
Mom